One Last Time
by Karine1
Summary: After the events in the Department of Mystery, Harry is given permission to leave his family and go live in 12 Grimmauld Place. There, he finds a letter written to him, by none other then Sirius Black.


**One Last Time**  
  
**By: ** Karine  
  
**Rating: ** PG  
  
**Disclaimer: ** I'll own them up until the police find my hiding place *cackle evilly*   
  
**Summary: **After the events in the Department of Mystery, Harry is given permission to leave his family and go live in 12 Grimmauld Place. There, he finds a letter written to him, by none other then Sirius Black.   
  
  
Ten days had passed since the events in the depths of the Ministry of Magic, where after a year of denial, Cornelius Fudge finally saw for himself that Voldemort was indeed back. Ten days since Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood faced a horde of Death Eaters led by Lucius Malfoy himself in the depths of the Department of Mystery. Ten day since Albus Dumbledore, leading members from the Order of the Phoenix, had came and rescued them. Ten days since Bellatrix Lestranges dueled her cousin Sirius Black, which had just saved Harry from her. Ten days since Sirius had received a stupefying curse straight in the chest after having been distracted. Ten days since Sirius Black was blasted through the Veil because of that said curse. Ten days since Harry Potter lost his godfather, his last living relative that had really cared about him. And for those ten days, Harry Potter only acted out of necessity, having nearly stopped sleeping because of the nightmares that plagued him and having tried to stop feeling because it hurt just too much.   
  


***~*~*~*~*~*~***

  
  
A few days ago, there had been a lot of people reunited in Dumbledore's Office, to discuss something of importance, or more precisely, to plead with Dumbledore. Mr. and Ms Weasley, with Ron and Ginny, Hermione, Remus Lupin, Prof. McGonagall and last but not least, Harry Potter were in that office. All were "arguing" with Dumbledore about letting Harry spend his summer anywhere BUT at the Dursley's. Well, everyone except the boy in question. The Boy Who Lived wasn't exactly using words, he just sat in a chair in front of the Headmaster's desk, his emerald green's eyes fixed on Dumbledore, with a look that clearly said "I am not going back".   
  
After fifteen minutes, the argument was finally stopped when a small voice rose, effectively stopping the eight yelling ones.   
  
"It was what he wanted since I met him, for me to live with him and I was refused that. He's gone now, it will never happen because someone took him from me. Even if it's too late, I'm going to honor what he wanted, and in the same time what I wanted; there is no other place that I'm going to live except 12, Grimmauld Place. "   
  
With that said, Harry bolted out of the office, to prevent them from seeing the tears that spilled from his eyes, leaving the other occupants to stare open mouthed at where he once sat.   
  
"You can't deny him that Albus." McGonagall said, having recovered first.   
  
"Beside, there can't be a safer place than the Order's headquarters," Remus added.   
  
Dumbledore looked at each of the witches and wizards present, not missing the pleading look they all wore, and finally gave in.   
  
"Fine. I give in. I'm going to send a letter to his muggle relatives to inform them that Harry won't be going back." A round of cheers went out and despite the noises; no one missed Remus' comment.   
  
"Oh I'm sure they are going to be _heartbroken. _" He hissed sarcastically.   
  


***~*~*~*~*~*~***

  
  
And it was all of those events that led a skinny looking fifteen years old to brood in what was once his godfather's room.   
  
Upon his arrival at 12, Grimmauld Place, Harry had ran into Sirius' room and locked himself in, refusing to leave, let alone let someone enter it. And it took him two days to notice the envelop on the night table, an envelop with his name written on it, written by none other than his godfather.   
  
The boy extended a shaky hand toward it, and carefully took it, as if he was afraid that it would vanish. But it didn't, and so Harry quietly opened it and unfolded the two pages parchments that were in it.   
  
_Dear Harry,   
  
If you are reading this letter, then it means that what I feared finally came to pass. I shouldn't even be here writing this, I should be at the Ministry going after you, but no, I have to wait for Dumbledore to come, to alert him, or so says the bloody git Snape. First thing I need to tell you is that for some time now, I've felt like my days were numbered, and even now, that feeling is so strong, that I just know that something bad is bound to happen. And I didn't want that bad thing to happen without me having a last chance to tell you things that you'll probably need to know, or need to hear.   
  
First off, whatever happens, I am officially forbidding you to blame yourself for it. You did the right thing by going out there on your own, and even got the time to tell someone of the Order, even if it was that greasy git. But, it literally breaks my hear to know that right now you are probably in more danger then anything you've faced before just because you thought that Voldemort had me (something that I would have done myself without giving it a second though mind you), it should be me running into danger to save you, not the other way around! That shows me how much you really are your father's son, and a true Gryffindor, and also one of the bravest wizards I know and don't go try and deny that fact. And I'm sure everyone told you that already, but hears it from your father's best friend. James and Lily would have been so proud of you Harry, well, err, not Lily, Lily would have probably slapped you silly if she knew where you ran off to, but James would have been proud (although he would have hid it from Lily or suffer her wrath). _  
  
Harry couldn't help but smile through his tears at that part, but he didn't stop reading for long.   
  
_Second off, I want to apologize Harry, for I am afraid that I failed you. And there will be no denying that either, and nothing or no one could ever make me feel otherwise, except maybe James, and even then I would probably not change my mind.   
  
Now, you might be asking yourself how I failed you, well, there are a multitude of answers for that. I shouldn't have convinced James to switch secret keepers, I shouldn't have went after the rat that fateful night and left you alone with those infernal muggles. Also, if I had been your father's secret keeper, I would never have betrayed him, so your father and mother wouldn't have died. So, I feel like I robbed you of your childhood and prevented you from ever meeting your wonderful parents. And I also failed your dad, because when they chose me as your guardian, I swore that I would take care of you should anything happened to them, and I guess I didn't help much now did I? Twelve years in that awful place and two on the run was probably not the best way to take care of you. I failed everyone I ever cared about, and I just hope that when the time comes when we will be together again, you will forgive me, in the meantime, I hope James forgives me. _  
  
Harry actually broke down crying at that part of the letter, and it took him quite some time before he was able to pick the letter up and resume reading.   
  
_Let's move on to a lighter topic. After that fire call about your father, I realized that I had never told you stories about the marauders when we were at Hogwarts or things like your parent's weeding or your birth. So I decided to write those moments story like, so the history of James, Remus, I and the rat would never be forgotten. I had a lot of help for those from Remus though, so do thank him, it'll make him feel good.   
  
Also, I beg of you Harry, don't blame or think less of your father because of the first story, because it wasn't really his fault, and because even being on the good "side" sometimes has its bad points. What I do hope is that you'll come to see us like we were really, not through the git's pensieve, because trust me, we had a *lot* of good reasons to hate that git, and you'll come to see why throughout the stories.   
  
I also wrote this so you could keep a good memory of your mom, dad, Remus and myself, before the dark time took everything away.   
  
Well, with that said, I'm going to go. I don't care what the git said, I'm not staying here one minute longer. Dumbledore will know what's happening, he always does. Just remembers Harry, whatever happens today, I do not want you to blame yourself, you have enough to worry about right now. And always remember that for the little time that we knew each other, I loved you like a son, and that I will watch over you forever. Now, be strong Harry, and always stay with your friends, because in dark time like this, that's all that we really have that matters, and also what we truly needs.   
  
Yours truly,   
  
Sirius Black, aka Padfoot_  
  
Harry felt strangely better, extremely sad yes, but not the same kind of sadness. Regrets were stronger then sadness right now as he thought about all the things he could have told his godfather, or simply to argue about him about certain part of the letters. But he quickly stopped thinking about that, wallowing in the what-if would do him no good, so instead he picked up a big journal like book and inspected it. The book itself was red, and on the cover in golden was written: _ "A Tribute to the Marauders" _ then a little below that big title was written, in a smaller size:   
  
_ "How they met,   
  
How they prank,   
  
How they lived,   
  
How they fell apart." _  
  
That got the better of Harry's curiosity so he stopped inspecting the book, finally opened it and began reading.   
  
_**The End, or rather, the beginning ^_~**_  
  
**A/N: ** This is actually the prologue of the series called "A tribute to the Marauders: How they met, How they prank, How they lived, How they fell apart. Which I already have 3 parts underway. Each of those moments will be posted as separated fics because I plan to have them have at least two chapters each, maybe more, but not less. Also, thanks to my Trin who beta read that chapter for me, like she always do :D 


End file.
